Life Comes Around
by KadyAngel
Summary: After Frostbite.  Rose graduated early.  Dimitri took Tasha's offer.  Rose is guarding Adrian until Lissa graduates.  Lissa and Christian are still attending school.  Until a twisted event of fate brings them all together.
1. Chapter 1

**Alright, to completely explain. Two months after Frostbite. Rose graduated St. Vlad's after she killed the two strigoi. Until Lissa graduates, Rose is guarding Adrian. And Dimitri took Tasha's offer.**

**So two months after Frostbite. She's taken all her tests, has a promise mark, and is a full fledged guardian.**

I walked into the light, open living room, drink in hand. I plopped down onto the couch, beside Adrian, and looked directly at him.

"So what are you saying?" I grinned, and held the drink away from him. "That I'm your personal servant?"

"No. Just that you should obey my every will until Lissa graduates," he smirked.

I handed him the drink. "Not happening."

He took a long drink, and put the glass on the coffee table.

My eyes flicked to the TV, and I squished back into the leather couch. We had on some crappy drama movie, that neither Adrian nor I was actually watching or paying attention to.

Adrian put one of his arms around me, and I snatched the remote from his hand. I flipped the channel, and put on some action show.

"So, Rose, tomorrow," he smiled.

My antenna instantly went up. What was he up to now? "What happens tomorrow?"

"Some event at the academy. We're going. We'll arrive tomorrow afternoon, stay for a few days."

I sat up. "Really?" I beamed.

"Thought it'd be a nice surprise for you," Adrian said. "But then again, it means you have to go back to that… what did you call it? Prison! That's it."

I slapped him playfully. "Hey! It was like prison!"

"No I bet prison's worse."

"I bet the food's better there," I mumbled.

"Maybe, but you can't be graced by my presence in prison," Adrian smirked.

"If you didn't pay me like this, I would be long gone by now."

"Why don't we test that?"

"I'd rather not. I like getting paid. I've got plenty saved by now."

"Yeah, five hundred thousand dollars in the bank is pretty nice for you. Me, I've got… what, five hundred thousand million or so?"

"In your family?" I asked stupidly.

"No, in my primary accounts."

"Holy shit," I bit my lip, and took a sip of my water. "That's a lot of money."  
He shrugged. "Money doesn't really matter."

"Maybe not to someone who has a ridiculous amount, but to the world? Yeah money matters. Money gets people things."  
"I could get you things."  
I sighed and stood up. "I'm going to bed. Goodnight, Adrian."

"Then I'll go to bed too... you're always welcome to join me," he smiled, slapped my ass, and walked down the hall.

"I'll keep that in mind," I murmured, and walked to my own room.

The walls were lavender, and it was light and open. I flopped onto the bed, not bothering to change, and examined the room for the millionth time.

It was way too huge, and filled with brand new things Adrian had bought for me. A double closet, bursting with clothes, every outfit comfortable and stylish. Guardian outfits for events, and all kinds of things for battle with strigoi.

There was a TV with cable, a huge bed, radio, laptop, phone_s_, and tons of other unnecessary, but _nice_ stuff. I loved it.

Being treated like a princess was amazingly great.

So far, there had been no strigoi attacks. Admittedly, it had only been two months.

Adrian was okay to be around. He was funny, annoying, and lighthearted. He kept trying to date me, which I suspected was just an attempt to get into my pants.

And I was almost okay with that.

Adrian and I had gotten to know each other, and gotten to be friends. I thought he was cool, and funny. He thought I was hot and snarky. Every day was fun and unexpected. Sometimes we'd just randomly jet somewhere, and come back a few days later.

My mind couldn't stop thinking about the fact I was going back to the academy for a few days.

I remembered when I had left.

"_What will you do, since you're graduating? Are you—"_

"_Lissa," I stopped her mid-sentence. "Adrian offered to let me be his guardian… until you graduate."_

"_Are you going to take it?" she asked, quietly._

"_I don't know."  
"Would you be my guardian when I graduate?"  
"Of course! Liss, I would never do this if it meant that I couldn't be your guardian!"_

_She smiled, a wide smile, revealing the snow white fangs that lurked beyond her glossed lips. "You should do it. We'll keep in touch, and I'll visit, and you'll visit. It's like six months. Graduating early is a huge honor, Rose!"_

"_Well, then I think I'll do it. I wanted to make sure it was okay with you… because you're my best friend, and because I'm going to be your guardian."  
"You should do it. Plus, it will make it so you're not sick of me the minute you become my guardian. Some time apart could do us well."_

_I grinned. "Alright. I've got a week before I leave. We'll have some fun. And I'll raise hell."_

That had been my temporary goodbye with Lissa.

Dimitri…

"_Hey, Comrade!" I called through the gym. He was in the far corner, reading a western. I ran to him, full speed. His eyes flicked up to me._

"_Rose, there's no reason to continue these sessions," he looked at me._

"_I know. But I'm not free yet. This is still my prison until further notice."_

"_I'm taking Tasha's offer."_

"_What?"_

_He spoke louder, "I'm taking Tasha's offer."  
"But you said… you said that you told her no," my mind was spinning, and the room was blurring. I sat down._

"_I changed my mind. You got a job, so there is no reason for me to stay."_

_Jealousy ran through me. I didn't want him to take the job. I wanted him to stay as far away from Tasha as possible._

"_Have a nice life with her…" I tried._

"_I will. Have a nice life with Ivashkov."_

_Something snapped inside me. "I'm guarding him_ temporarily!_" I shouted at him. "It's not permanent like your job."  
I stormed out, without looking back._

I had seen him from a distance once more before I had left. It felt wrong, saying goodbye like that. I wanted a second chance. I wanted him. But I'd never have him.

One of my cell phones vibrated.

It took me a moment to figure out which of the four it was. But I figured it out. It was my Black BlackBerry Curve. I clicked the text message icon, and read the message.

_Rose! _It read. _Tasha Ozera was just killed! ~Lissa~_


	2. Chapter 2

**I was overwhelmed by all the story/author alerts, and favorite story/author alerts, and reviews. Thanks for all of that. I appreciate it.**

**And just to let everyone know, I kinda liked Tasha in the books, but I needed to kill her off… so that's what I did. I've got nothing against Tasha. I got a very angry PM about how I'm a 'Tasha hater…' random? I'm not a huge fan of her, but I don't hate her… so no more angry PMs please? Thanks.**

**Feel free to Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams. **

My world spun out of focus. Was Dimitri okay?

My hands shook as I pressed the buttons on my BlackBerry Curve.

_What about Guardian Belikov? Is he okay? ~Rose~_

It was okay to ask about your mentor. Right? I didn't really care if it wasn't. I was worried about him. My fingers were crossed and my breathing was speeding up. My heartbeat had quickened.

_Majorly upset, but physically, okay. He was knocked around, a little broken, but I healed him. ~Lissa~_

My breathing evened out.

_How's Christian? ~Rose~  
He's taking it hard. Really hard. He's upset, and hurting. I'm giving him a little space, some time to think. ~Lissa~_

_He'll be okay. It'll be okay. I'll see you tomorrow. ~Rose~_

_You're coming tomorrow? ~Lissa~_

Elation coursed through the bond. Over the sadness, and then the sadness and fear reigned once more.

_Adrian said we were. ~Rose~_

_See you tomorrow! ~Lissa~_

I put the phone back down. Tasha. Oh, god. I hadn't liked her, but I hadn't wanted her dead. She had been nice to me, and…

My phone rang. It was Alberta.

"Hello?" I answered, voice sounding completely alert.

"Guardian Hathaway?" Alberta's voice came clear over the line.  
"Yes, Guardian Petrov?"

"We need you to report here, soon. The school is suspected to be attacked."  
"What? How do you…?"

"We got a letter from a strigoi. It said that there was going to be an attack."

"I'm coming tomorrow."

"We're assembling as many guardians as we can. You'll be a large help, Guardian Hathaway. I assume you've heard about Tasha Ozera?"  
"Yes, I have. It is a tragedy," I told her. "I'll be there tomorrow."

"Goodbye Guardian Hathaway."  
"Goodbye Guardian Petrov."  
I hung up. I hated talking with guardians. We were so stiff and formal, that it was almost painful sometimes.

My feet swung over the edge of the bed. I walked to Adrian's room, and I pushed open the door.

"Come to join me?" he asked, sitting up. He saw my face and stopped joking. "Rose?"

"Tasha Ozera is dead," I told him, the words barely seemed real. "And the academy is going to be attacked by strigoi."

He threw the blankets off of him and stood up. "Come on. We're going to the academy now."

"Now? It's like one in the morning there!" I exclaimed.

Adrian and I ran on a moroi schedule. For now.

"Yes, now! Go pack. We're leaving in twenty minutes, Rose, whether you're ready or not."

I ran to my room. I grabbed a suitcase, and threw stakes, clothes, and other necessities in the bag.

I was done before Adrian.

We left in fifteen minutes.

Adrian had some sort of private jet, and the flight was three hours.

I waited anxiously.

Almost the entire ride, I was jiggling my leg, or tapping my foot. Until Adrian put a hand on my arm.

"Rose, relax. It's okay," he told me.

"I know," I sighed. "I'll just… I'll feel better when I'm with Lissa. When I can protect my friends."

"We'll be there soon. We're an hour away," he said.

I sighed again, and leaned my head into Adrian's shoulder. It wasn't sexual, I didn't think of him in that way. He was like a brother to me. These past few months we'd become scary close. He could read me, almost as well as Dimitri.

Adrian had even gone so far as to stop smoking. He drank less, because I'd told him I didn't like it.

So he could see my aura most of the time. He was a spirit user, just like Lissa. Just different abilities. I hated how he could see my aura, and tell what I was feeling, all the time.

Finally, we landed. I grabbed my bag, ran off the plane, and up to the guard's post. I got there long before Adrian, and I had to wait for him. The waiting was torture.

The guard let us in, and I knew where Lissa would be. In her room. Sleeping, and alone.

I left Adrian behind, ran to her room, and pounded on the door.

She opened it, looking exhausted. When she saw me, she woke up, smiled, and hugged me.

"Rose!" she grinned, and then looked confused. "Did I sleep in?"

"No, we came early."

"Oh. Come on in!" she looked at my bag. "You can stay in here!"

I stepped into her room. She had never gotten a new roommate. So there was an empty bed.

"Um, why don't we sleep and talk in the morning?" I tried.

"Good idea. I've got classes," Lissa told me, and walked to her bed.

There was ten minutes or so of silence. I thought she was sleeping.

"I'm glad you're here. I'm scared," she said.

"I know, Liss. I know."  
"What happened to Tasha… it's so horrible!"

"I know. How's Christian?"  
"He's horrible. She was the only family he had left…"  
"And Guardian Belikov?"

"He's really messed up. He was there when I was texting you. He told me to tell you that he wanted to talk to you when you got here tomorrow. He's, um, in his old room."  
"Thanks, Liss. Goodnight."  
"Goodnight, Rose."  
I felt her go to sleep. I heard her breathing even out. I was lost in my thoughts. Dimitri wanted to see me? The thought made me nervous, and happy. Butterflies appeared in my stomach at the very thought of Dimitri. I ached to see him, longed to see his face again.

Finally, I fell asleep.

**Alright, so what did you think? Let me know! And music suggestions? What are your favorite bands? I need new music to listen to, give me your suggestions!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three is here! It's decently long. I hope everyone likes what's going on… any suggestions? Criticism is welcome, constructive is preferred. I need suggestions on ways to improve. Because if people don't tell me what I do wrong, I'll never be a good writer. So criticize away!**

**Now there will be plenty of twists and turns in later chapters, don't worry. I have some plans, but they may change, because well, whatever I write has a mind of its own.**

**Anyway, enough ranting. I bet no one's reading this… oh well. I'm used to people not paying attention to me… haha, joking. Maybe. Okay, on with the chapter.**

I woke before Lissa, and waited for her to get up. A half hour later, she sat up, looked at me, and frowned.

"Why didn't you wake me up?" she asked.

"You've got classes. I didn't want you to be tired," I explained. "Get ready. We'll hit the feeders and grab breakfast."  
She nodded, and I grabbed my bag. I changed into pink tights, black shorts, and a white top. Lissa took a shower. She and I were ready in fifteen minutes.

We went to the feeders, and Lissa got Alice.

I waited by the door. Alice creeped me out lately.

We went to breakfast, and Adrian was sitting at a table, all alone.

Lissa and I got food and sat with him.

"What's up Adrian?" Lissa asked as she sat down.

"Nothing, cousin. Just waiting for you two," Adrian replied, smiling at me.

I rolled my eyes. "Do you think Christian'll make an appearance today?"

"No, I don't think so. He was really broken up. She was the only family he had left," Lissa sighed. "I feel so bad!"  
"It's not your fault, Liss. One month, and you're free, you know," I changed the subject.

"I wish you hadn't graduated early. It sucks being here alone. No girls to talk to."  
"Why do girls always need to talk?" Adrian demanded. "About everything! It's not healthy!"

"It's how we make decisions," I shrugged.

"Rose, I'm going to go check on Christian. Make sure to visit Dimitri," she stood, and left after dumping her tray.

"You're going to see the Russian now, I take it?" Adrian asked.

"Apparently, he wanted to see me. So, yeah, I guess. I'm curious," I flashed a small smile.

He looked jealous. "I'll see you later, little Dhampir."

I nodded, dumped my tray, and headed to Dimitri's old room.

I knocked on the door. After a few moments, he opened the door. His eyes were bloodshot, and he looked ragged. He hadn't changed from the clothes he had worn when he had been attacked—they were torn and bloodstained.

He let me in, and we didn't say anything.

"What did you need me for?" I asked Dimitri, tense about being here. I had never seen him broken like this.

He handed me something. "Here."

It was a letter.

I would open it later.

"Are you okay?" I asked. It was stupid, but I had to ask.

"No."

"Do you want to talk?"

He didn't say anything.

"Dimitri, talk to me. Please," I begged.

He was broken, and I wanted to help him as he'd helped me. When Mason had died.

He turned to me.

"I got her killed," he said. He was breaking. Slowly but surely, he was breaking.

"No, you didn't," I told him.

"You don't even know what happened."

"Then enlighten me, Comrade."

"It was night. And we were outside in her garden. She wanted to water her plants before she went inside. I had my stake. And one came and ambushed me." he paused. "It grabbed me from behind. I shouted for her to run, and she did. She was inside, in the wards. The strigoi and its _friend_ shoved me against the side of the building. I couldn't get free and they were leaning in towards my neck. It was over."

My breath caught in my throat. I could feel his pain. His pain was my pain, just as Lissa's pain was my pain. We didn't have a bond like Lissa and I, but in a way, we did have a bond. And I was glad to know that it hadn't faded, not one bit.

He continued. "But they caught on fire, and that gave me enough time to stake them. There had been a third one we hadn't known about. It came up behind Tasha. And I shouted for her to run. She didn't know… didn't realize. It snapped her neck, and threw her onto the ground. It let me stake it. And then I ended up here."

It overwhelmed me how similar my situation with Mason had been.

"That's not your fault. She made her choice. It was not to let you die," I said, thinking of the words he had said to me little more than two months ago.

"Just go, Rose," he mumbled.

I nodded, and left.

My feet took to Lissa's room. I had a key.

I looked at the letter when I sat on my bed.

Rose,

There's something I need to say. I know that Dimitri loves you. And that you love him. I don't feel that way about him anymore. I used to. Nothing has happened between us since high school. That, I can promise you.

He loves you, and I don't want to hold him from you anymore. True love shouldn't be kept apart. I'm sorry for taking him from you for this long.

But there's something you should understand about him, Rose. He doesn't open up to a lot of people. And when he does… don't take it for granted. And don't let him shut back down. Give yourself to him as much as he gives himself to you.

Never, never, NEVER, give up, on him, or you'll lose him. It's hard to get him to open up, but around you… he opens up more than he ever did for me.

You two are right for each other.  
I know that he is leaving me for you. And I'm okay with it. True love comes first. I'll find mine someday. You two are perfect for each other. I can see it.

Rose, I hope one day you forgive me for taking him to be my guardian. He resigned from his position to be with you. I want him to give you this. So that you can understand I didn't do it to anger you.

Something you should know: for you, he would give up guarding completely. As long as he didn't lose you. But only for you.

I hope we can be friends. That we can get along.

I hope you two are happy together. I hope you have everything you ever wish for. Don't be afraid of what the world thinks, Rose, you two can overcome it all… together.

I've had my fair share of disapproval, but if you are truly happy, don't let it get to you, Rose. Just be happy, and they'll deal. Eventually, they'll get over it. I promise.

If you need support, you can always come to me, no matter what. Rose, I'm sorry if you thought you couldn't trust me. You can, you really can.

I hope you and Dimitri have a happy life together.

I've even got a boyfriend of my own. Maybe he's the one. I hope we can be as right for each other as you and Dimitri are for each other.

Talk to me, call me. You can trust me, Rose.

Love,

Tasha.

It was at that moment that I realized that Tasha wasn't a bad person. I was wrong to dislike her. She was the best person she could be. And I would never be her. I could never amount to what she was, what she had been.

She was amazing. I wished I had known her better. But I had judged her. She had been Dimitri's friend, and I had thought she was trying to take him away. So I had made myself hate her.

Tears leaked down my cheeks.

For Tasha.

Her burial was tomorrow.

I hadn't planned on going.

But now I felt I had to.

Because of what she had done for me. She was an amazing person.

Lissa walked in, and walked to me. She put her arms around me, seeing I was crying.

"Rose? What's wrong?" she asked.

"There's something you need to know," I wiped away the tears.

Lissa looked at me intently, concern and worry coming at me through the bond. "What is it?" She asked.

I hesitated. But I knew I would have to tell her eventually. She was my best friend, my sister. "I love Guardian Belikov. Dimitri."

"Really? That's great, Rose!" she exclaimed. "Does he…?"  
"I don't know. He used to… he might still. I'm not sure. I hope."

"Why are you crying?"

I handed her the letter.

She read it. When she was done, she was crying too.

She understood that I had judged Tasha, and she understood that I felt bad. That I knew she was a great person. And that I felt horrible.

"Rose?" her jade green eyes pierced through me. Understanding was flowing through the bond, and she was sending me semi-happy thoughts to calm me down. To make me happy.

"Yes, Lissa?"

She gave me a weak smile. "I'm an idiot for not noticing."

I smiled through the tears, and choked on a laugh. "Little bit."

There was a knock at the door. "Who the hell?" I asked, wiping my eyes, and regaining myself. My feet swung over the edge of the bed.

I opened the door, and there stood Dimitri.

**Songs:**

**All We Know-Paramore**

**Welcome Back Riders-The Swellers**

**Do You Feel Better Yet?-The Swellers**

**Ups and Downsizing-The Swellers**

**The Iron-The Swellers**

**Watch it Go-The Swellers**

**Someone Who Cares-Three Days Grace**

**Some band suggestions that I listened to and liked/already listened to:**

**Chevelle**

**Paramore**

**Three Days Grace**

**Crossfade**

**Need You Now-Lady Antebellum**

**Airplanes pt 2-B.o.B (ft. Hayley Williams, Eminem)**

**Breaking Benjamin**

**The Pretty Reckless**

**We the Kings**

**There's a ton more I don't feel like listing.**

**Review please? Or I'll have Rose kill Dimitri, and Lissa will date Adrian, and Rose will date Christian. See what happens if you don't review?**

**Yeah. So… your choice. Review or the Russian gets it!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I appreciate all of the lovely reviews. The time between updates is kind of long, but that's because I have… ten? Stories going at the moment. Yeah, that's not an exaggeration.**

**So anyway…**

**Review please. And feel free to Twitter me. KatrynaWilliams is my Twitter.**

**On with the chapter.**

"D-Dimitri?" I stuttered, surprise flooding me. It came through the bond too, making it overwhelm me completely.

"I came to ask one thing," his voice was soft, smooth, and silky. He looked… wrong, in a way. Sad, unhappy. Misery seemed to be his main emotion, it was written all over his face.

"What?" I breathed.

"Can you come to Tasha's service tomorrow?"

My heart fell, and I felt my attitude go way down. I hadn't realized how much I had been hoping for him to just walk in, kiss me, apologize for leaving, and tell me he loved me. But that was something unrealistic.

"Yes. I can," my tone was chipped, cold, and distant when I spoke.

Lissa, as well as me, was utterly confused. For a moment, I got pulled into her head. I was staring at myself. Dimitri's aura was ringed in black. And so was mine.

Other than black, there were swirls of red, blue, pink, and gold. Red was guilt, or maybe vengeance, blue was sadness, pink was love, gold was… I wasn't sure.

I pulled into my own head and frowned to Lissa.

"Thank you," he said abruptly, and left.

I frowned, and shut the door. I hated this barrier we had between us! It was ridiculous, and it sucked. I missed the old days. Where there was so much more to us than this.

We used to have this special connection, where I could see through him, and he could see through me. In a way, it was still there. But not so strong.

Lissa walked to my side. "I'm sorry, Rose."

"What does gold mean?" I asked abruptly.

"What?"

"In an aura."

"It means… it means you have an emotional bond with someone around you," Lissa told me.

I nodded, and laid on my bed.

"_ROSE!_ WAKE UP!" Lissa shouted in my ear. She was putting earrings in, and was dressed for the funeral. How long had I slept?

"How long do we have?" I demanded, jumping up, and throwing on my black dress.

"Ten minutes."

"Shit!"

I dragged a brush through my knotted hair, and quickly applied eyeliner, eye shadow, mascara, and lip gloss. I was ready in five minutes, and we rushed out the door, in heels.

We arrived just as they were getting ready to start. Lissa and I stood in the back. Christian stood in the front, Dimitri beside him. Adrian slid in beside me.

The service was long, boring, and sad.

The burial was worse.

"Would anyone like to speak?" The priest asked.

Christian stepped forward.

"My aunt was an amazing person. She saved me, and she didn't deserve to die this way. I remember, one time, when she took Lissa and I ice skating. She was so accepting of anything that came her way. She was an amazing person. My only family," he said, loudly.

The crowd was mostly royals.

Tatiana was even there. She had arrived late.

Dimitri stepped forward second.

"Tasha Ozera was an amazing woman. She risked her life to save mine. She believed that Dhampirs and Moroi are equal. She was someone who stood up for her beliefs, and kept everyone she loved enthralled with her."

He stepped back.

Lissa was next.

"I didn't know Tasha for very long. But to me, she was like an aunt. She was an amazing person. She was so nice to me, and to everyone around her. I never met anyone who didn't love Tasha. She was so… amazing. Everyone gravitated to her," Lissa paused. "She was a kind person."

"Would anyone else like to say something about the deceased?" the priest asked after no one else responded.

Hesitantly, I stepped forward. All eyes were on me. Lissa's shock shone through the bond.

"Tasha Ozera was a kind, caring, generous woman. She was always kind to me, to my friends, to those I consider family. She stood up for her beliefs, but was not pushy. She offered to help me through tough times. She was so kind, and amazing. Every time she offered to talk, I pushed her away. I wish I hadn't done that now, and that I'd had time to get to know her better. Her death should mean something. She would want it to mean something.

"Tasha was a firm believer in defensive magic among Moroi," I continued. "Her death should show us all that we should do just this, that we should teach defensive magic and combat classes to Moroi. Leaving them defenseless isn't an option anymore."

Murmurs of agreement scattered across the room.

"She would want everyone to _fight_ _back._ Don't just sit back and let the strigoi take us down. You need to fight!" I shouted.

"Yes, we do!" a Moroi shouted. Pride and happiness came through the bond, loud and clear.

The Moroi were starting to fight back. Tasha would be proud.  
Everyone stayed to talk, but I took a walk. Alone. Lissa walked back alone, it was only on school grounds.

It hurt too much to stay. I walked to Mason's grave, and sat down. I had my heels in my hand, and I set them near me.

"Hey, Mason," I said. "I'm sorry. That I couldn't save you. I'm sorry. Lately I feel so damn guilty. And I don't know why. I needed somewhere to go… someone to talk to, who wouldn't judge me. I'm sorry, Mase. That I didn't love you like you wanted me to."

I sighed. "But I love someone else. He doesn't love me, not anymore. It's Guardian Belikov, Dimitri. He left, and I left… and now… there's nothing left. I wish, so, so much.

"It's like he was part of me, and that part was ripped out. I wish I could love Adrian. It would make it all simpler, easier. Adrian loves me. Dimitri doesn't. I love Dimitri, and I don't love Adrian, not that way. In a way, sure I do. Like the way I loved you. There just wasn't… enough.

"I just wish… I wish it was all alright. But it isn't and it never will be. I'm sorry that you had to die for me. I wasn't worth it, I'm a screw-up. You would have been worth it. But I'm not. And I'm sorry I'm letting you down. I wish that I could be better. For me, and for you, and Lissa. Dimitri, Adrian, Christian, Tasha. It's all going to hell. You should be here. Now, right beside me. You should have never left for Spokane, and we should be sitting in the cafeteria, laughing and making stupid jokes," a tear escaped from my eye. And another and another. I couldn't stop them, they just kept coming.

"I'm sorry, Mason, I'm so, so sorry. You have no idea how guilty I get sometimes. I just wish you hadn't come back for me. Sometimes I wish I had died right then, right there. Because that would have been easier. But I didn't and I have to live with everything. I hate this. I hate being in love with someone who doesn't love me. It only causes hurt. How did you do it? I… I need help… dealing."

I laid my head in the dirt, near Mason's headstone.

"Because it hurts too much to deal on my own, and I can't talk to anyone else. He doesn't love me, Mase," I sobbed. "It hurts, too much."

"Who said I didn't love you?" Dimitri strode out from behind the trees.

"Go away," I said, brokenly.

"Rose… Roza. Talk to me."

I almost laughed. I should be asking him what was wrong. Instead he was asking me.

"Nothing," I tried. But he could see through me. We knew each other too well for bullshit.

"_Roza._" There were bags under his eyes from lack of sleep.

Nausea started in the pit of my stomach.

And then Mason was behind Dimitri, pointing to the woods.

I couldn't make out anything. Except for one word. _Strigoi._

**So what did you think? Review please?**


	5. Chapter 5

**Here's the chapter!**

**Sorry it's a bit short.**

**Thanks for all the reviews! You guys kick major ass! I loved every single review, so I thought I'd get this up quickly. I'll try to update tomorrow, but no promises.  
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I looked around, and spotted red ringed eyes hiding in the trees.

My hand went to the stake I always kept on me. It was hidden in the side of my dress. I pulled it out.

Dimitri had noticed my change of posture, and had pulled out his own stake.

"Roza? What is it?" he demanded, looking where I was.

Mason had disappeared.

"Look," I whispered.

Dimitri's eyes zeroed in on the strigoi in the woods.

A few made the decision to come for us. I lunged at the nearest one, kicking it in the head. It didn't falter, instead, it slammed its fist into my head, making me see stars for a moment. I regained my balance, and scraped it with my stake.

It hissed in pain, and stopped for a moment. That was all I needed, I shoved the stake into its heart, and then pulled it back out, going for one of the two Dimitri was fighting.

It wasn't expecting me, so I jammed my stake through its back. It went down quickly, and Dimitri finished off the one he was fighting.

The rest had retreated.

"We have to warn the school," I started running. Dimitri kept up with me, and running was hard. Stones and twigs kept poking into my bare feet. I had ditched the heels at Mason's grave. My feet became numb, so I just kept running.

I ran into Alberta.

"There are Strigoi on campus," I panted. "We have to do something. Fast."

Alberta's face was all business. "How many?"  
"We just killed three. Rose killed two, I killed one, there were more in the woods," Dimitri answered for me.

Alberta used her walkie talkie, and suddenly, guardians were swarming around us.

I was pulled into a meeting room.

"There are Strigoi on campus," Alberta sounded like a leader. Because she was one.

"How do you know?" a guardian asked. He sounded arrogant, cocky.

"Because I fucking fought some, dickhead!" I shouted. My patience was wearing thin.

Guardian Alto walked through the door, breathing heavily. "The wards are broken," he told us.

"We've got less time than I thought," Alberta said. "Round up all the Moroi. Get them to the church. All graduating novices have to be ready to fight."

I nodded and set off to make sure Lissa was okay.

I had to make sure Lissa was okay. And Adrian. Christian.

Dimitri was following me, I barely noticed. Lissa didn't know, that I was sure of. I burst through her door. Christian and Adrian were sitting with her, on the floor. They looked at me, and stood up.

"There's Strigoi on campus, I have to get you to the church," I stated, mechanically. Lissa, Adrian, and Christian stood, and followed me.

Nausea was still building in my stomach. And it scared me.

It wasn't too strong, and it wasn't puking nausea. It was something different.

Lissa and Adrian were in the church, and Moroi were piling in. Christian hesitated.

"What are you waiting for, Christian?" I demanded.

"You said Moroi should fight," he stated.  
"Yeah, so?"

"Let me help. Let me fight," he tried.

"I didn't mean right now! I meant with classes, and training! You're not ready!" I exclaimed.

"I _am_ ready. You saw me practicing. My aunt taught me. I want to fight. I need to fight. Let me fight, Rose," he said his words with so much determination that it made me sure that he could do this. I looked to Dimitri.

He nodded a short, curt, nod.

"Come on. Let's go. If I tell you to do anything, and I mean _anything_, you do it. Understood," I told him.

"Yes. Thank you, Rose. Thank you. I have to fight for my aunt. For Tasha," Christian said. The church was locked up. Dimitri, Christian, and I looked around. Guardians were taking positions.

"What are you doing with a Moroi, Hathaway?" Stan Alto demanded.

"He wants to fight. He's ready," I stated.

"He's a royal Moroi."

"I know what I am, Guardian Alto, but I am going to fight this fight. I am going to help us win this. For my aunt. For all Moroi," Christian told us. His voice was cold, determined. Confident.

He reminded me of me.

Stan accepted this, just as red ringed eyes were seen just a few feet away.

It was party time.

Butterflies flew in my stomach. I had to protect Christian at any cost.

I knew this. I could feel Lissa's fear. She knew what was going on, and she wanted to fight too, but she couldn't _do_ anything, except heal the wounded afterwards.

"Let the flames begin," I smiled to Christian.

This was going to be one hell of a battle.

**So… what did you think? Review please!**

**Or something bad will happen to Dimitri!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Review please.  
Twitter me. KatrynaWilliams.**

They started to move forward, towards us all.

Christian's hands were blazing, and I smiled to myself.

He lit some close ones up, and Dimitri and I staked them. I moved a bit further from Christian, and was out of his range. He couldn't burn the one I got into a fight with.

He went to slam me in the head, but I ducked. The blow barely grazed me.

I went to kick it's stomach, but it didn't stumble, not at all. It grabbed my foot, and twisted it. It hurt, but I got my leg away before the female broke it.

I scratched her left arm with my stake, and she shrieked in pain. I went to stake her, and was able to do so, without too much of a struggle.

One came up behind me, grabbed me from behind, shoved me into the ground.

It came close to my neck.

"Get off me you undead son of a bitch!" I shouted, wriggling and trying to get free. He didn't budge.

"I'm not supposed to kill you, but taking a little blood won't hurt. You've made us very angry," the Strigoi whispered in my ear.

"No blood! He'll have our heads," another hissed.

"She's a blood whore anyway, what does it matter?"

I kept struggling, but couldn't get loose.

"Get off me!" I screamed. Dimitri was fighting two, and trying to get to me, but he couldn't. I relaxed in the Strigoi's grip, and when he was surprised, I elbowed him and rolled away. I staked him while he was confused, and tried to move on, but three grabbed me from behind.

I noticed that Christian wasn't the only Moroi around. Three water users, five fire users, three earth users, and a wind user. More were debating, and I saw Lissa and Adrian walk outside.

"Go back! There's too many!" I shouted.

But it was too late. They had Christian, Lissa, and Adrian in their arms.

"No! Lissa!" I cried, breaking free. I ran to her, but five grabbed me from behind. There were hundreds. We stood no chance.

They had Dimitri, my mother. Eddie. Mia.

"Don't kill them. Just bring them. If we hurt them, then they will have our heads," one of them said.

"No!" I screamed. "Let me go!"

I couldn't breathe, they were crushing me, with their tight grips.

They dragged Lissa, Christian, Janine, Eddie, Mia, Dimitri, Adrian, and I and threw us into a limo, after cuffing us. They threw us on the floor, and sat around us, grinning. Twenty or so sat with us.

"The big one, Belikov, and Rosemarie put up a big fight," one of them said. "They'd be great additions. Too bad they already have plans."

"Who are you taking us to?" I demanded.

"Tatiana and Victor, of course," they said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Tatiana and Victor? My aunt Tatiana?" Adrian frowned.  
Fear was running through the bond, overwhelming me. I couldn't breathe, it was suppressing me.

"Rose," Dimitri mumbled, voice low in my ear. "Can you help me get us out of this situation?"

"I think," I murmured back.  
"Don't try anything, you two," one of them smirked, and separated us, dragging me across the floor.

"Let me go, you undead, evil ass son of a bitch!" I shouted, kicking out. My feet connected, and he stumbled.

He slapped me.

Then his teeth neared my neck, and he bit into the flesh.

The pain was all I felt for a second, but then the bliss set in.

Blood loss was killing me, slowly, but I couldn't connect that with the utter bliss I felt.

"Roza!" I heard shouts from around the room.

The Strigoi pulled away.

I blacked out.

**It's short. But I'm supposed to be sleeping. Review.**


	7. Chapter 7

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**Enjoy. I made it longer because of the amount of reviews.**

When I came to, I could hear the voices of my friends. I could feel Lissa's fear, but I couldn't remember _why_. What was going on?

Finally, it clicked in my mind.

Strigoi had captured me, my friends. Shit.  
Cool metal rested against my wrists. I pulled against it, but it did no good. I was cuffed to a chair. Again, shit.

"Guys?" I asked, my voice ragged, hoarse.

"Rose!" Everyone exclaimed. There was a 'Roza' mixed in there somewhere. No matter how much I told myself I didn't like it, I missed it. I missed Dimitri. I still loved him, in a way. And I always would. I had to talk to him when we got out of here.

I looked around, my dhampir sight was something I was grateful for. The lighting was dim, but I could see. Not every detail, but I could see. Dimitri was to my left, Lissa to my right. Christian was beside Lissa, Janine beside Dimitri. Adrian, Mia, Eddie, they were further away.

I took a deep, shivering breath. It wasn't that I was cold, I was scared. That was more like it. There were three windows that I could make out; all blacked out with what I assumed was spray paint. There were a few holes, letting in some light, so I could see it was daytime.

The air was thick in my lungs, dusty and damp.

"How long was I out?" I asked.

"Two days," Adrian answered me.

"We were worried about you, Rose," my mother said.

I couldn't breathe. Two days?

I fought against the cuffs, for a few minutes, until I felt blood run down my wrists.  
"He took a lot of blood. Take it easy," Dimitri instructed. "You don't need to lose more."

_Rose, are you okay?_ Lissa asked through the bond.

_Fine. Why do you ask?_ I answered, not even thinking.

_I don't know. It seems like… like I can feel you. In the back of my head…_

_Wait! I can… we can… talk? The bond has to work two ways now!_ I exclaimed mentally.

"We need to get out of here," I announced.

"That's obvious," Christian said. "I figured that one out all on my own, thank you very much."

"Now's not the time, fireboy," I shot back.  
"Rose, Christian, stop!" Lissa exclaimed. "Please."

My stomach was nauseous again. I was going to have to go to the infirmary later, if we got back. When we got back.

The cuffs were metal, so that took burning them out of the equation.

I thrashed against the cuffs again.

"Roza! Stop!" Dimitri shouted. I continued thrashing.

Until I remembered I had bobby pins in my hair **(For the record, I'm pretty sure, scratch that, no I'm positive that I didn't mention bobby pins before when she was getting ready for the funeral, but just go with it. I had to make something work…)**. From the funeral. There was a dull ache in my head from them being in so long. I had never been so glad for bobby pins in my entire life. I had never picked a lock with them before, but it was worth a shot.

I bent my head down, as far as I could. It made my neck hurt. I pulled my hand up as far as it would go in cuffs, but it wasn't far enough. I pulled against the cuffs even more, and leaned down my head until I thought it would snap off.

Finally, I reached one of the bobby pins. I pulled it out, painfully slow, and then pulled my head back to its place. I took the pin in my grip better, and angled it so I could fit it into the keyhole of the cuffs. I tried to open the pin, so it fit better, but I dropped it.

"Damn it!" I mumbled.

"Rose?" Dimitri asked. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing."  
I bent my head again, and pulled out another bobby pin. This time, I got it into the keyhole, and twisted it around. My wrist was hurting from the angle I was twisting it at, until it went numb.

It took five minutes, but the cuff clicked, and my wrist came free.

I pulled it free, gently, so I didn't call attention to myself.

I worked on the other one, and finally, it came free. I jumped free, and walked to Dimitri, knowing he'd be the most useful.

"How…?" he asked.  
I smiled, and took the bobby pin I was holding, and stuck it in the keyhole. I got his one wrist free, and handed it to him. He did his other wrist while I moved on to my mother.

Once I was done with her, I went to Christian, then I'd go to Eddie, Mia, then Adrian, then Lissa.

Everyone was confused at first, but then they seemed to get it. I was almost done with Christian's cuffs, when the nausea increased, and three Strigoi walked in.

"Shit!" I exclaimed. Dimitri was free, my mother was almost free.

I didn't have my stake on me. And neither did my mother or Dimitri. I finished Christian, really, really fast, and turned to the Strigoi. More had come into the room. My mother was free, and we were looking at seven Strigoi. There seemed to be more, somewhere outside.

My breathing increased, and adrenaline ran through my veins. Two of them came for me, three for Dimitri, and two for my mother. How we were going to kill them I didn't know. Christian tried to light as many as he could on fire, but he couldn't get all of them, not to mention kill them.

I slammed my fist into the side of one's head while he was distracted by the fire. The other one I was fighting _wasn't _on fire yet.

He kicked me in the side, and I fell into the one that was on fire still. I got burned up my left side, and shrunk back from pain, hissing and shrieking at the burning. My burning flesh hurt, and was smoking. It wasn't as bad as it could have been, but it hurt like hell.

"Rose!" Lissa cried.

I saw in the corner a small glint of something. Our stakes. Not smart, but the Strigoi couldn't touch the damned things, so they had probably just held them with their shirts or something. I made a break for them, only to be grabbed by the Strigoi who wasn't on fire. He grabbed my burned arm, and I screamed in pain, but I fought through the blackness that threatened to overcome me.

My leg managed to come up, and slam him in the stomach. This forced him to let go. I ran to get the stakes, picking up five. Five? One for me, Eddie, Dimitri, my mom. There was an extra. I grabbed four of five.

"Dimitri!" I tossed one to him. "Mom!" I threw one to her. Eddie wasn't free yet. I handed him a bobby pin and the stake as I ran past, back into the thick of it. Blackness clouded the edges of my vision.

I fought through the pain, and staked one of the Strigoi who was on fire. I watched the light go out of its eyes, and saw Eddie rejoin the fight.

He staked the rest that were on fire, which was two, and I got into a fight with one of the last Strigoi alive. It had been leaning over Lissa, who had been screaming in fear. I could feel it through the bond. He hadn't touched her, I had tackled him _just_ before he bit into her neck. With a battle cry, of course.

It slammed its fist into my shoulder, but I stood my ground, and tried to kick him. He dodged, and swept my feet out from under me. I landed on my ass, but quickly got up, and scratched his cheek with my stake. He flinched, and I staked him. There were none left. Dimitri and my mom rushed over to me.

The pain was overwhelming.

"Rose!" My mother cried.

The burns hurt, like a bitch. Someone had freed Lissa, Adrian, and Mia. Lissa was at my side. She had her hands on my burns, which stung like a bitch. I felt the healing magic.

I couldn't argue. I had to help get her out, and I couldn't do it with burns like I had. I felt better instantly.

I was on my feet, to be honest, I hadn't even realized I had been on the ground.

Dimitri, and me went first, Eddie and my mother last. Christian and Mia were on the sides, Lissa and Adrian were in the middle.

There was a long, narrow hall, and at the end, there was an open door. Cautiously, stakes in hand, we walked through.

"We've been waiting," a familiar voice said.  
My blood ran cold, and I felt my fear, along with Lissa's.  
Victor Dashkov, sitting beside Queen Tatiana. Both had red ringed eyes and pale skin.

I turned to them, taking a defensive stance.

"So, you broke out, turned, and turned the Queen?" I asked.

"No. She turned me," Victor smiled back.  
"I've been Strigoi for seven years, Rosemarie. I've just had brown contacts," Tatiana responded smugly. Still the same old bitch. Now the sight of her made me shiver in fear.

She had been ruling the Moroi for twenty years. Seven of them as a Strigoi.

Tatiana looked at Lissa. "Vasilisa, how lovely to see you. Nephew, how are you?"

"Don't talk to them you_ coldhearted, undead, _good for_ nothing bitch!"_ I shouted.

Lissa was practically quaking with fear.

Strigoi were all around the outskirts of the room. Eddie, my mother, Dimitri, and I closed in around the Moroi. Christian was on the outskirts, as well as Mia.

Victor smiled. "_Attack._" **(Now, I was going to end here, but because of all the reviews…)**

They started to close in. My breathing quickened, and once more, adrenaline pumped through my veins.

I lunged out first, once they were close enough. Christian lit up a few that were close, and Mia was pelting water at the ones on her side. Right in their eyes, so my mother could stake them. Eddie and Christian worked together, while Mia and my mom worked together. Me and Dimitri were working together.

Three had ganged up on me, and three on Dimitri. Two were trying to hold me back, so the third could bite into my neck, but I was struggling too hard. My stake scraped one of the two who was holding me, so he retracted his grasp.

I staked him. The other was trying to hold me, while the one that was trying to bite me stood in front of me. I pushed against the one who was holding me, and kicked the one that was trying to bite me.

It stumbled back, and Dimitri staked it. I turned on the one who was holding me, and kneed him in the stomach as I twisted in his grip. I round housed him in the face when I broke, but he didn't stumble. He kicked my knee, and I felt it bend at an unhealthy angle. It wasn't broken, but it hurt like a bitch.

I staked him, quickly, easily.

Dimitri was still fighting two, I noticed.

I came up behind one, silently, and staked it through the back. It was harder to stake one through the back, more to go through, but it worked.

Finally, we had finished off the Strigoi, and when I looked up to Victor and Tatiana, they were gone.

"Where'd they go?" I demanded.

"We should go," my mother commanded.

I walked to Lissa. She had a few scratches, and was shaking with fear.

"It's okay, Liss. I promise," I told her. "We'll catch them."

"I know," she whispered. "I know. I'm just… I'll be fine when we get back."

I gave her a weak smile and spoke. "Hey, does anyone know where we are?"

**That was like two thousand and a hundred-ish words. Four and a half pages. Longer than usual. What did you think? **


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for all of the wonderful reviews. They make me happy, really, they mean a lot to me. Just… thank you.**

**Just to let you know, I might not be updating this quite so quickly. School starts the 25****th**** of August, orientation the 22****nd**** of August. I'm going to a really hard school, and I'm going to be a freshman. So I'm going to study, swim practice, try to make friends (I'm gonna be the new girl… again, but it was my choice), you know. So, I'll try to update as soon as possible. So, again, I'm sorry. But I'm warning you in advance, so that's gotta count for something.**

**I have the next few chapters written, and I'll post one every time I get online.**

**Is anyone reading at this point? Or are you all asleep? When did I get so boring? I bet I'm just generally boring. But if you're reading, feel free to let me know. I applaud you for not just skipping past my boring speech.**

**Anyways, Twitter me. You can bug me relentlessly, because I get the alerts straight to my phone, along with reviews/emails. My Twitter is KatrynaWilliams.**

**Here's the chapter. Hope it doesn't disappoint. (That was 202 words of an A/N!)**

"_We should go," my mother commanded._

_I walked to Lissa. She had a few scratches, and was shaking with fear._

"_It's okay, Liss. I promise," I told her. "We'll catch them."_

"_I know," she whispered. "I know. I'm just… I'll be fine when we get back."_

_I gave her a weak smile and spoke. "Hey, does anyone know where we are?"_

Turns out, no one did. I frowned, and we looked around.

"Anyone know how to get out of here?" I asked.

Nothing.

No one really spoke as we looked. The occasional 'Nothing' or 'Have we checked this room?' but other than that, there wasn't much talk. I comforted Lissa, and made sure Adrian, Christian, and Mia were okay. The guardians were wounded slightly, but Adrian and Lissa healed anyone who was hurt.

Lissa stuck to my side, Christian stuck to hers. Dimitri was on my right, Lissa to my left. Adrian and Eddie walked around, checking, and my mom and Mia walked around together. We didn't leave the Moroi unprotected, even though I knew that there weren't any Strigoi around.

They had either fled, or we'd killed them.

While we looked around, I did some thinking. The nausea that presented, only came when Strigoi were around. The more Strigoi, the more nausea. Must have something to do with being shadow kissed, same with seeing Mason.

Finally, I found a way out. It was a large door, in one of the last rooms. The room's door had been locked.

It was night outside, we had been fighting and escaping for a while, I guess.

"Everyone, in here!" I called. I was on full alert, ready for any threats that lay in wait outside, in the dead of night.

At least the Moroi wouldn't slow us down because of sun exposure. They'd slow us down because they were generally slow.

I was the first out the door. Dimitri, Lissa, and Christian close behind. Followed by Eddie, Adrian, Mia, and my mom. The guardians surveyed the area, and I noticed I didn't feel nauseous, so no Strigoi. If I was right about the nausea thing. If I was wrong, I'd feel like an idiot.

But this nausea, it didn't feel typical. It didn't feel like I would puke, more like… I was being watched? I felt insane, and paranoid.

My shoulders slumped. Why couldn't an effect of being shadow kissed be useful to me right now? Like, having a magic GPS programmed in my head, or on my stomach or something. The Spirit users came up empty on the GPS department too.

I felt helpless.

Until I saw Mason, in the distance. He was transparent, and frowning, a disapproving smile. He looked… other than transparent, like he was real. He was wearing some of his favorite clothes, and his hair was sticking up.

I cocked my head to the side, walking closer to him. "Mase, what is it?"  
He smiled, and shook his head, which I took to mean nothing.  
"Do you know where we are?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Spit it out!" I exclaimed.

I was aware, distantly, somewhere in the back of my mind, that everyone was looking at me like I was crazy. And I was okay with that.

He opened his mouth. "Nevada," talking seemed like it was straining him. "Just…outside…Vegas."

"Thank you," I smiled to him, a large, hearty smile. He nodded, smiled back, mouthed 'later' and disappeared.

"We're in Nevada," I grinned and told the group, who was staring at me like I was crazy. "Vegas, baby!"

Everyone frowned, except Adrian.

Dimitri looked at me, and rolled his eyes. "How do you know that?"

"Mason told me," I shrugged.

Everyone looked at me, as if I was crazy. Then I remembered… Mason was dead. They didn't know that it was a shadow kissed effect.

"Guys," I frowned. "I'm not crazy. I can see ghosts. It's because I'm shadow kissed. I can contact the dead. Mason just appeared and told me that we were in Nevada, just outside Vegas. He's the one who told me the Strigoi were coming, before they attacked."

My mother shook her head.

Lissa looked like she believed me. So did Eddie, and Adrian.

My mom looked like she was going to say something, but Adrian beat her to it.

"She's telling the truth," he said. "I can see it in her aura."

I looked at him. "Really?"

"Yes, little Dhampir, I can. I don't think you're crazy," he grinned.

"So, Vegas, baby!" I exclaimed again.

"Rose, we _aren't_ going to Vegas," my mother told me, exasperated. She frowned.

"Why not?" I whined. "I want to go!"

"Roza, you aren't even legal, why would you want to go?" Dimitri's eyes were amused.

I frowned. "Good point. How do we get out of here?"

_Rose?_ Lissa asked in my head. _Why didn't you tell me before, about you seeing Mason? This can't be the first time!_

_I know, Liss. Later, okay?_

_Fine._

Adrian pulled out a cell phone, and dialed a number.

"Hey, can we get a car to come pick us up?" he asked. "We're outside of Vegas." Pause. "Okay." Pause. "Alright."

He hung up. "They're tracking the phone, they should be here in… Twelve hours? **(Not sure about the actual time, so I made it up. If it's wrong, it's wrong.)**

Everyone nodded.

"We should go inside, and sleep in shifts," my mother said. "Rose and Dimitri on the first shift, Eddie and I on the second."

She didn't tell the Moroi shifts, it wasn't like they could do anything.

We got inside, and found rooms.

Christian pulled me aside.

"Rose," he said. "I have to ask you something."

Oh boy, I thought.

"What?" I asked warily.

"You're the closest thing Lissa has to family. So…"

"Spit it out!"

"I want your blessing. I want to marry Lissa," he said.

Holy shit.

I gripped him by the shoulders. "Christian." I said. "She loves you. I'll put it this way. You have my blessing, but if you ever hurt her, I'll have your head."

He nodded and grinned. "Don't tell her anything."

"I won't," I smiled.

"Can you look at the ring?" he asked, digging in his pocket.

"Yeah. Why?"

"I want to make sure she'll like it."

It was then I realized how much he loved her. More than own his life. He wanted to make sure everything was good enough for her. Everything was perfect for her.

He pulled out a velvet box, and looked around.

I took it, and opened it.

The ring was gold, with diamond clusters, around the main jewel. There was a jade colored sapphire jewel in the middle. It was the same shade as Lissa's eyes.

"She'll love it," I smiled and handed it back to him. He tucked it away, safe.

It was sweet that Christian had asked me, I thought as he walked away.

Soon, everyone slept. And Dimitri and I sat in chairs in the hall, wide awake.

"We need to talk," he said, his Russian accent more pronounced right now. It didn't make it so I couldn't understand him, instead it made him sexier.

"Fine," I replied. Everyone else was asleep, and we were far enough away we could talk at a normal volume. "I'll start. What did you mean by 'Who said I didn't love you?'?" I asked. My heart was thumping loud in my chest; I feared he would hear it. I feared he would say it was a mistake, and crush me all over again.

"I meant that I still love you. I always have, and I always will," he said.

My heart stopped for a second.  
He loved me?

**Alright, so what did you think? Review please. The more reviews, the longer the chapters… *hint hint*.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Here's the next chapter. Let me know what you think. And thanks, for all the reviews. No long A/N this time. So jump for joy, cuz once I get started, it's hard to stop me. Nothing sexual intended. Cuz baby, I'm not like that. I'm just kidding everyone. You can't hear my tone, or my pauses, so don't take it the wrong way. That's just me.**

**I'm going to shut up now. Because I feel like an idiot. Alright, zipping lips.**

**Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams.**

**Enjoy.**

He loved me?

"Roza, I love you, more than anything else in the world. And that's wrong," he sighed. "I couldn't make you choose between Lissa and I. After I lost Tasha… I don't think I can go through that again. It was devastating. We were just friends—"

"I know," I said, pulling the letter out of my pocket. **(Yes, I never mentioned her changing from her dress, but she had some time before the attack. Just pretend I added it in, before she went to go see Lissa. I do these things a lot…)** I looked at it for a moment, and then handed it to him.

As he read it, his face went through different emotions. I had the letter memorized, every word. I wished I had known Tasha better.

He handed it back to me.

I smiled, and tucked it back into the pocket of my sweatpants. "I wish I had gotten to know her better. I used to be… so jealous. But I read that… and I realized that I was stupid."

He came over to me.  
"Roza, we can't be together. People would think badly of you, and I couldn't—"

I laughed and a cynical smile turned my lips up. "Dimitri Belikov, do you _really_ think I care what society thinks about me? Really? You don't know me at all. I've already been guaranteed the job as Lissa's guardian. You don't think I care about what people think. You just don't want to feel bad, about not loving me," I laughed again. "You don't care."  
"_Don't_ tell me what I'm feeling," he growled, quoting an earlier time I had been in training with him.

"You don't. You want this to work? You could _easily_ get a job with Christian, or even Adrian, or just at court. But you don't. Because you don't want to try. Because you think it's wrong. If you loved me, you'd _try. _But you don't love me," I fired at him. I knew that the truth would come out.

"You're right, Roza," he said.

My heart fell. I tried to stand. I'd go sit in the room, with Lissa. Being near her would make me feel better.

His face looked confused, and he grabbed my arm.

"I love you, and it's time for me to try. I need to fight for you," he smiled.

I was stunned, frozen. He kissed me, and passion, fireworks, ran through my veins. I could feel so much, and yet, I pushed it all away, putting myself into the kiss. Everything I had, everything I _was._

Then he pulled away.

I frowned.

"Our shift is almost over," he explained.

"So?"

"Your mother will be awake soon."  
"_We_ have to wake her up," I said.

"It's like she has an internal clock. She'll be up any second," he grinned. "You'll see."

"Fine," I pouted. "I wouldn't want you to die today anyway."

And as if on cue, my mother peeked out of the room. She opened the door, and looked at me.

I motioned for her to come over to me, without waking Eddie. She shut the door.

"What are you doing?" Dimitri mumbled, as my mother came over to me.

"She should know first," I murmured back.  
"Roza…"

"Hey mom," I said.

"Hello, Rose," she pulled me into a hug. I hugged her back.

"I'm glad you're safe," she said. "You have no idea how nervous I was during that battle."

"I'm a Guardian, mom. I'll be fine…" I told her. She pulled away from the hug. "There's something I—we, need to tell you." I corrected myself.

"Did you hear something? Did anything come?" my mother asked.

"No, mom. Something else," I grinned. Now I was nervous, but I felt Dimitri's hand on my arm.

"Janine, your daughter and I are in love," Dimitri said, bravely. I was terrified.

My breath caught in my throat as my mother eyed Dimitri.  
"Rose? How do you feel about this?" she asked, her eyes never straying from Dimitri.

"I love him," I said simply.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Belikov, I swear to god, if you ever hurt Rose—" she started.

"I won't," Dimitri cut her off.

"Let me finish. If you ever hurt Rose, I'll let her have the first go. But I'll be right behind her, destroying anything that's left. And if we go a bit overboard, I have some contacts that can make you… disappear. All trace of you," she threatened, deadly serious.

If she hadn't been so serious, I would have laughed. My mother, threatening to kill my boyfriend.

Wow. Had you told me yesterday my mother was going to threaten to kill my boyfriend if he hurt me, I'd call you crazy, and a few other choice words. But now, it made me smile.  
"I understand, Janine, but I have no intention of hurting Rose. She is my world," Dimitri told my mother, making me smile.

"What are your plans?" my mother asked.

"I'm going to try to get assigned to someone else. Christian or Adrian," he said Adrian's name with reluctance, "preferably, but someone else at court if that's not possible."

"They will need to fill in the place of Adrian's guardian. And Christian may not get one assigned to him," I grinned.

"Congratulations, Rose," my mother smiled, and hugged me. "Just…don't do anything. You aren't eighteen for another week."

I couldn't believe she was being so… great! She was amazing! I can't believe it! First Tasha, and now my mom. Apparently being nice was contagious.

"Of course, mom. Thank you," I hugged back.

"I don't know if you were informed, but I have been assigned as the Princess's other guardian," my mother said.

"That's great, mom! Call her Lissa; she hates 'Princess' or 'Vasilisa'. She's Lissa."

"Okay," my mom smiled. "Now go get some sleep. Wake Eddie if you don't mind."

I nodded and walked into the room with Dimitri. We woke Eddie, and I took my mom's bed, Dimitri took Eddie's. We had slide mattresses and blankets into the biggest room with only one entrance. Which was being guarded.

"Hey comrade," I whispered in the dark.

"What, Roza?"

"Tomorrow we get to tell Lissa," I smiled.

I swear I heard him groan.

**So what did you think? Personally, I hate when people make Janine a robot, or someone who hates her daughter and just calls her a blood whore. I like a softer Janine, who understands, and is nice to her daughter. I'm not a fan of Janine screaming, and then Rose and her getting into a fight. I mean, what mother would do that?**

**Anyway, I hope the chapter didn't disappoint. Review please.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Alright, new chapter is here! Yeah, that's right, I updated…**

**Oh yeah.  
Twitter me. KatrynaWilliams.**

**Enjoy!  
**

I woke to a shriek.

I jumped up, stake at the ready, and then saw it was just Lissa and Christian. Lissa was elated.

"What the hell are you two so happy about this early?" I demanded. "I haven't slept very much, and I'm exhausted."

Lissa looked at Christian. He nodded.

"Christian just proposed!" Lissa exclaimed.

"And you said…?" I teased her. "I mean, what about Adrian?"

"That's not funny, Rose. And I said yes!"

I hugged her.

Then I dragged her off for some girl time.

"How did he do it?" I asked.

"Well…"

The images were in my head, as if I were watching a movie.

"_Liss? You awake?" Christian's voice asked quietly._

"_Yeah," Lissa smiled. I smiled, technically. I was seeing this through her eyes._

"_Take a walk with me? Just down the hall," he added._

"_Of course," She/I said._

_We walked. We were at the end of the hall._

"_Lissa, lately, I've realized that life is too short to waste with 'what if's' and if you're going to do something, you need to do it soon. Because something could happen at any second," he began._

_She thought he was going to break up with her.  
She/I swallowed hard, but didn't say anything._

"_I've been carrying this around for days," he smiled. "Waiting."_

_Christian went down on one knee, and pulled out a little velvet box._

"_Lissa, will you marry me?" he asked._

_She/I paused, shock and surprise shooting through she/I. _

"_It's okay, Liss, I…" he started._

"_Yes." She/I whispered.  
"Yes?"_

"_Yes."_

_He put the ring on her finger. "We're getting married," she exclaimed. Then she shrieked._

"What do you think about this? Do you approve? Are you okay with this? I should have asked you before I answered. I can't believe I didn't think to consult you, I'm sorry, Rose, I wasn't thinking—" she ranted, hysterical.

"Lissa! Breathe! It's fine with me. He came to me, and asked for my blessing, because I'm the closest thing you have to family. He even showed me the ring, to make sure that it was good enough for you," I told her.

She held up the ring, admiring it.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" she grinned.

"It is. He really loves you, Liss," I said.

"So he asked you for your blessing? And you didn't mock him?"

"No. I thought it was nice. I threatened him and everything."

She gasped in mock-horror. "You didn't!"

"I did," I gave her a big smile. "And I loved it."

Dimitri was in my line of sight.

"Hey! Comrade!" I shouted. He rolled his eyes. "Stop rolling your eyes and get your pretty Russian ass over here!"

He came over.

"My turn for news. Dimitri and I are officially together!" I exclaimed joyfully as Dimitri took my hand.

"That's great Rose," she eyed Dimitri. "Can I talk to him for a moment."  
"Okay…" I walked off.

Then I slipped into Lissa's head.

"Alright, she's gone. Dimitri, if you _ever_ and I repeat _ever_ hurt her, I'll hunt you down, and kill you. She's my best friend, no, she's my sister, and I love her. I won't hesitate to come after you. I'll let Rose have the first go. But then I'll kill you. I've got some high up contacts, and I'm pretty sure that Adrian, Christian, Eddie, Janine, Mia, and many others would love to kill you if you hurt her," Lissa's voice was sweet, a contradiction to the words coming out of it. "Remember that, and don't hurt her, and we'll be good friends," she smiled.

Dimitri frowned. "Okay, Lissa, but I don't plan on hurting her."

"You didn't last time, either," she shot back.

Dimitri flinched. "Last time was a mistake. I thought I was doing what was best. I was wrong, and I'm here to correct the mistake I made."

Lissa nodded. "Okay."

I slipped out of her head.

Dimitri walked to me.

I grinned. Lissa was waving me over once more.

"Tell me everything!" she cried. "I want every single detail! What are you going to tell your mom?"

"We told her last night. She was okay with it. I'll show you."

I did the same thing she did with the proposal scene. I showed it to her.

She gaped. "Oh my god! That's so… sweet! He decided to try for you… I never realized how much he loved you."

"Me neither," I couldn't keep the smile off of my face. "I'm going to find him. We'll be leaving soon, I think."

I went around the corner.

Adrian and Dimitri were talking.

"I know you and Rose are together. If you ever hurt her, I'll kill you. I know some people. We'll all take a few go's at you, Belikov. Remember that if you want to keep your head," Adrian threatened and walked away.

I almost laughed.

Dimitri looked bewildered. "They always threaten to kill me. Janine must have let it slip, because a few minutes ago, Eddie and Christian said that if I ever hurt you, while Christian lit me on fire, Eddie would personally take my kneecaps, and give them to you as a birthday present."

I snorted, not able to hold back the laughter. "What can I say, I'm loved."

"Guys, the car's here!" Adrian shouted.

There were three cars, and tons of Guardians. Alberta was one of them.

I rode with Dimitri, Lissa, and Christian. Alberta rode in front with Dimitri, while I sat beside Lissa. She was in the middle. Christian's hand was wrapped around her waist, and she was facing me, talking with a smile on her face.

We were happy so far. Life was going great.

There was so much to figure out.

The drive took forever.

We finally got to the academy, and I could've kissed the ground. We hadn't lost too many guardians at the attack, after we'd been captured, they'd retreated.

I had the feeling this was going to be a good day.

**What did you think? Review please, they make my day… who am I kidding? They make my life!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Here's the new chapter. **

**Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams.**

**Enjoy!**

Lissa was in one of the best moods she'd ever been in. I smiled, to myself.

Dimitri and I were together.  
Lissa and Christian were getting married.

We were alive.

My mother accepted my relationship with Dimitri.  
Could this get any better?  
The thing that was confusing was that my mother accepted it so easily. Why was that?

Alberta handed me a key. "You're in your old dorm, your stuff is already there," she told me. I took the key.

I pulled my mother aside, and stepped into my old dorm, where everything was already set up, the way I'd had it in Lissa's room.

"First thing, thank you," I started, giving my mother a small smile. Then, I got straight to the point. Bluntness was not my best quality. "One question. Why did you accept the relationship so easily?"

My mother smiled. "Because I already knew."

I felt my jaw drop. "What?"

"Alberta had figured it out. She told me. I was angry, and wanted to kill him. When I saw how happy he makes you… well, it almost reminds me of… never mind," she shook her head. "I'm happy for you, Rose. But if he screws this up… he's dead."

I threw my arms around my mother, hugging her tight. "Thank you."

My mom was stunned, but eventually, she hugged me back. "It's nothing, Rose. I have to go to a meeting. I'll… I'll see you later. We'll have dinner the day before your birthday. You and me."

"Alone?"

"If you want."

"I'd like that, mom," I told her.

She smiled, and walked out of the room.

Once I figured she was far enough away, I shrieked, and jumped around the room.

The door swung open, and Dimitri was standing there, looking like he was ready to attack.

"Um, could you knock next time?" I asked, a big ass grin on my face.

He frowned and raised an eyebrow. "I heard the screaming. I saw Janine come up here with you earlier."

"Oh. Well, she's fine with our relationship. Alberta told her, so she already knew. And she wants to get to know me better, I think," I told Dimitri, walking so I was right next to him.

He put his hand around my waist, and I leaned up to kiss him.

_Rose? Where are you? Can you meet me in my room…Alone?_ Lissa's mental voice made me pull away from Dimitri. Her emotions were all over the place, but I couldn't tell what was wrong.

_Be there in five or less._ I responded.

"I have to go… Lissa needs me," I told him. "Later, okay?"

He gave me a short nod, and walked to his room. I locked the door, and started off to Lissa's.

"Liss?" I knocked on the door.

_It's open._

I walked in the room, and took one look at Lissa, who was sitting on her floor, looking seriously upset. I kneeled next to her.

"Can you…? Can you go and look?" she asked, her voice was weak. "I saw them… and…"

"Liss, you need to give me more than that. Look at what? Where? Are you okay?" I demanded, unable to figure out what was wrong.

"Bathroom counter," she managed.

I stood up, warily. Whatever this was had her upset, worried, and a little happy. I pushed open the bathroom door, slowly.

I saw what she meant. A pregnancy test.

I picked it up with trembling hands, and looked at it. There were three, and I picked the first. Positive. The second. Positive. The third. Positive.

I dropped them and went to Lissa.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"No. What if he doesn't want kids…and doesn't want me anymore?" She sobbed into my shoulder.

"Liss, he asked you to marry him. I'm pretty sure he wants kids. Didn't you guys discuss this? He loves you, and he'll love… it," I motioned to her stomach.

"How do you know?"

"You know he'll love you. You know it."

As if on cue, the door opened, and Christian walked in. He saw Lissa and I on the floor, but she refused to look at him.  
_"Counter,_" I pointed and mouthed the word.

He nodded, and walked into the bathroom. He came out.

"Who's the father, Rose?" he asked me.

I resisted the urge to laugh. "You are."

"Excuse me?"

Lissa sat up, and looked at Christian.

"I'm pregnant," she choked out.

Christian smiled. "Liss, that's _great._"

"Really?" she asked, wiping tears from her eyes.

"Do you not want…?"

She jumped up, and hugged him. I took that as my cue to leave.

Lissa was getting married, _and_ she was pregnant.

How did she manage to get so lucky?

I couldn't get pregnant with Dimitri. I wouldn't be able to give him a family. I wouldn't be able to raise children.

What if he left me, so he could have children? I couldn't hold him if he wanted children. He wanted kids, and I couldn't give them to him.

I slammed into someone.

"Sor—Dimitri, what are you doing?" I asked, looking into his eyes.

"Looking for you," he said simply. "Is something wrong?"

"No."

"What was wrong with Lissa?"

"She's pregnant," I said, a flash of sadness running through me.

I saw sadness flash through Dimitri's eyes, but then it disappeared, as fast as it had come.

"Oh," he said. He knew what I was thinking. He grabbed my arm, and pulled me to his old room. It was empty, except for a suitcase, and the basic furniture… not that there was much there when he had lived there before.

"Roza," was all he said, in a way that meant 'tell me now'.

"I'm sorry."

He looked wary. "For what?"

"Not being able to give you kids."

His expression softened. "As long as I have you, I don't need kids. Roza, you're all I need. I love you."

I managed a small smile. "I love you too. We could always adopt, I guess."

"Yes, we can. We have time, Roza."

I leaned up to kiss him. "Yes, we do, don't we?"

We just laid in his bed, holding each other, talking, kissing. We weren't doing anything past that, respecting my mother's rule. She had been quite generous.

So we laid, comforted by the other's presence. The entire night.

**So, what did you guys think? **

**Question for you: Adrian or Dimitri? Which do you pick for Rose? In general?**

**For me, it's a tossup. Dimitri's being a real jerk in the books. Adrian's really sweet in the books, sometimes, anyway. I really don't know which to pick. Who do you pick?**

**Reviews would be great.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Alright, new chapter is here.**

**I think we can get 200 reviews before I post again. Let's go for it guys! I love you all, thanks for reviewing.**

**Okay, so I've been in school for a little while now…**

**And I have to say, I'm not sure why I was so excited. Yeah, I like learning, but only after 1p.m. I'm so **_**tired**_** right now!**

**I've made some new friends after the school switch. Yep. Awesome. I'm also the youngest person in my grade. I'm thirteen and in high school. Anyone else in the same situation?**

**Well, Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams.**

**Anyway, I'm zipping my lips.**

**Enjoy the new chapter. I'll try to update more. As long as you keep reading and reviewing!**

(Five days later)

"Two days! What do you want?" Lissa asked, jumping around. "I can't believe you're _finally_ gonna be eighteen!"

Lissa's been eighteen for months now. I'm the baby of our group, I turn eighteen last. Christian was first, then Lissa, then Eddie, then me. Adrian and Dimitri didn't really count, seeing as they're a bit older than the rest of us. I still wasn't sure why they bothered to hang out with us. They were in their twenties, and we were still teens.

"I don't know, Liss," I said, shrugging.

"Since when _don't you know?_" she demanded. "Who are you, and what have you done with my best friend?"

She had gotten over the whole pregnancy freak out, and was now completely overjoyed about it. I experienced some of the symptoms with her, but I could block them out, after a day or two of practice.

I laughed. "Liss, you've always gotten me great gifts. You can choose all on your own, I'll like whatever you get me, I know I will."

Lissa sighed, admitting defeat. "Alright. But don't blame me if you don't get something you want."

"I already have everything I want."

A smile crossed Lissa's face. Then she hugged me.

The one thing I actually wanted, the only thing, she couldn't give me. I wanted to be able to have kids with Dimitri. That wouldn't ever happen. Sadly.

I shoved away those thoughts. I'd be eighteen in a few days. And god, I was excited as hell.

Lissa and I were sitting in her room; she was bouncing on the bed, while I was sitting on the floor with my back up against the wall.

_Knock, knock._

I knew who it was; he was the only one who actually knocked. "Come in, Comrade," I shouted.

Dimitri walked in, puzzled. "How did you know it was me?" he asked, giving me a kiss on the lips.

A grin broke out on my lips. "You're the only one who knocks."  
He raised an eyebrow. "You're joking."

"No, I'm not joking. No one else knocks, unless the door is locked. We just walk in. Hell, I walk in even if it _is_ locked. I have a key," I announced proudly. "For every single room in this place. I stole Kirova's master key and made copies."

Lissa snorted, and flopped down on the bed, landing on her back.

"Roza, you shouldn't have done that," Dimitri tried to keep a straight face, but couldn't.

Lissa laughed. "How did you get the key? She keeps that thing hidden."

I bit my lip. "It involved a fire in her living room, her microwave blowing up, then once she got that put out, her pipes bursting, and flooding the place. Then I snuck in."

"That was _you?_" Dimitri demanded.

"Yeah, why?" I shrugged.

He just shook his head in disbelief.

"When did you manage this?" Lissa asked, in the midst of texting someone. Probably Christian.

"Freshman year."

"Oh yeah. I remember. You gave out copies to half the novices in our grade and up—sorry, Rose, I shouldn't have said that," Lissa put her head down upon seeing Dimitri's face.

"You gave out _copies?_ People have been breaking into dorms and classrooms for _years_ and we couldn't figure out how!" Dimitri looked at me, a certain tone in his voice that told me that he was amused, but serious.

I didn't speak, Lissa did. "Well, now you know."

"You sound like Rose," Dimitri told her.

"Hey! That's not a bad thing," I protested.

"Guess it's the pregnancy hormones," Lissa shrugged, and put her phone on the nightstand. The door opened a moment later, and Christian walked in, Eddie and Adrian tailing him.

"See, you're the only one who knocks," I told Dimitri triumphantly.

He rolled his eyes. "I have duty. I'll be by later."

I nodded, gave him a quick kiss, and then watched him leave.

Everyone in my group of friends, and a few select Guardians knew about our relationship. Kirova, Alberta, my mom, Stan…

After Lissa graduated, we were going to royal court.

Dimitri had been assigned as Christian's Guardian. So it all worked out.

Only Dimitri and I knew, out of our group, that he was Christian's Guardian. Christian was expecting to get no Guardians. Boy would he be surprised.

Their graduation was coming up in less than a month, and I was thrilled. Finally, we could be happy. No more school. No more strict rules. No more _hiding_.

The reason we were going to the royal court, was to expose Tatiana. We couldn't really stage an uprising against the queen, no matter how much of a bitch she was.

We had to expose her. Only, we had to do it _without_ getting arrested, or executed. Which meant that Adrian and Lissa would have to do most of the work. The two of them having super compulsion could help, and then the fact that they were both royal helped as well. Since the Ozera's weren't accepted, Christian couldn't do very much. The Queen hated me with a passion, so I couldn't do anything.

I sighed aloud. It was only a matter of time until everything started to go wrong, till everything started to take a turn. For the better or for the worse. Maybe both.

I was going crazy, waiting for Lissa to graduate.

After I left Lissa's, I went to my room, to sleep. I was so tired, that it wasn't even funny.

I had dinner with my mother tomorrow, I thought, as I drifted off to sleep.

**What did you think? This was mostly filler. But I've got this story mapped out. More chapters coming soon.**

**Question:  
What is your favorite book in the VA series?**

**Mine is probably Shadow Kiss. Maybe Spirit Bound. Not sure. I can't decide. I can't wait for Last Sacrifice.**

**Why can't it come out sooner?  
Review please.**

**Or Adrian will compel Dimitri to jump off a cliff.**


	13. Chapter 13

**New chapter. Hopefully, this one is a bit less… boring. The last chapter was kind of boring, this chapter… well, you'll see.**

**Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams.**

**Here it is:**

I woke to two, strong, warm arms wrapped around my waist. Dimitri.

He must have snuck in while I was asleep. I didn't open my eyes, just snuggled deeper into his chest.

It hit me then.

Tomorrow.  
Tomorrow I turned eighteen, and my mother would have no ruling over me.

My eyes opened and I glanced at the clock. My mother had told me we'd have dinner at seven. It was noon-ish. (Midnight) And my stomach was growling.

I tried to sneak out of bed, but Dimitri's arms caught me, and pulled me to him.

"Where are you going?" he whispered in my ear.

I smiled. "To eat. It's lunch time."

"That late?"

"Apparently. It's nice to sleep in," I said, getting up. I walked to my closet, and threw the door open. I grabbed a pair of jean shorts, and threw them on. Then I grabbed my favorite low cut red shirt, and my black platforms.

Dimitri had brought something to change into, and he did so.

"Tomorrow, Comrade!" I exclaimed. "Tomorrow I turn eighteen!"

"I know, Roza. I know. You've told me plenty of times in the past week," he laughed.

I shoved him playfully, and then I stormed out of the room, to the commons. I suppose I could have eaten where the other guardians did, but I would have rather had a meal with my friends than some guardians I barely knew. Even if Dimitri was there.

After piling food on my tray, I went to sit at our table. Adrian, Eddie, Mia, Lissa, and Christian were already there.  
"Hey, guys, what's up?" I asked, as I set my tray down.

Lissa looked strange, and answered a little too quickly. "Nothing."

I tried—but failed—to raise one eyebrow. My eyes flicked to Adrian.

"Please, please tell me," I asked, tilting my head to one side and giving him my man eater smile. I pushed out my bottom lip a little bit, and widened my eyes a touch. I was silently cursing myself for not wearing any makeup.

Adrian was starting to give in, I could see it. Apparently, Lissa could too, because she kicked Adrian under the table.

"Ouch!" Adrian hissed.

Christian started laughing, and so did I. It was funny.

Adrian just glared, and Lissa smirked. Eddie chuckled to himself. Mia joined in with her high, harmonious laugh, and suddenly, we were all in hysterics. Why, I wasn't sure. It wasn't even that funny, but we were all laughing so hard there were tears coming out of our eyes.

Finally, I could breathe again.

"Why was that so funny?" Mia asked.

"I don't know," I replied. I scarfed down my food, and then went to do a couple of errands before I had to meet my mom for dinner.

TO BE HONEST, I was nervous as hell for dinner.

Dinner with my mother. Her and I. Alone.

She and I didn't have the best track record, because… well, because we were _us._ Both legendary among guardians. Both stubborn. We were similar, yet we were polar opposites.

I threw on a semi-loose black dress, that dipped down in the front, but came to my knee, almost. It was simple, with lace at the edges.

I was waiting in the restaurant my mother had chosen. She walked in, two minutes late. I had only been on time/early because I knew if I was late, it would start everything off badly.

"Sorry I am late," she nodded to me, and we went to our table. It was a booth, that could have seated four, but was divided between the two of us.

My mother was wearing her guardian outfit. Black pants, black shirts. It looked like she had a white tank top underneath her black shirt. She wore some black shoes that were fit for combat, and looked sturdy, but elegant and fashionable. Not a hair on her head was out of place.

I ordered a Coke, and looked at my mother.

"So, any news recently?" I asked.

"You should have gone to the meetings. You're a guardian now," she said. "There isn't much new. Mostly it's what we could say. It isn't like we could say who was really behind everything. We couldn't say anything about Victor or Tatiana, so there isn't much going on."

I nodded. "I know I should go, but it's a bit strange, you know. It feels like I shouldn't be there. Then I forget, and don't go… I don't know."

"It is optional, but they are very informational," my mother shrugged. "So how is everything going in your life?"

"Lissa's pregnant. I'm turning eighteen tomorrow," I said.

"I knew about your birthday, but I didn't know about V—Lissa's pregnancy. I will have to congratulate her."

An awkward silence fell over the table. The two of us perused the menu, then we ordered food and I drank my Coke.

"Did you need to discuss something when you made these plans?" I asked. She probably had some sort of agenda. Usually, she wouldn't take me out, not somewhere so public. Moroi and Dhampirs crowded the place.

"Yes, there is something I would like to discuss with you," my mother said, shaking her auburn hair out of her face.

"What is it?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

My mother nodded, catching the eye of someone in the crowd. He had black hair and a goatee, and was as tan as a Moroi ever was. His clothes were screaming 'notice me'. He wore a long, dark coat, that must have cost a ton, and that coat was paired with a cashmere crimson scarf. There was gold I could see beneath the scarf, it appeared to be a chain that matched the single gold hoop he wore in his left ear. The way he stood, the way he looked screamed 'dangerous' but I knew that he was only Moroi. He probably had connections, ones that would be able to kill me without a second thought, and wouldn't lose a moment's sleep about it.

The man walked over to the table.

"Rose," my mother took a deep breath. "Meet your father."

My… father?

**So… what did you think?**

**Who do you prefer? Abe or Olena? Janine or Tasha?  
Personally, I like Abe better. He's more amusing. And then Janine. Tasha's nice and all, but Janine's cool. She's badass, like Abe.**

**Review please.**


	14. Chapter 14

**New chapter is here. **

**Sorry for the wait, no internet, plus I've been sick, and school, and all kinds of stuff, plus I've been really, really tired, and I kinda just forgot… sorry. Enough dumb excuses from me for now…**

**So, Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams.**

**Hey, guys, by the way, if there are any mistakes in the chapter, PM/review me to let me know. I don't have a beta, so it's a bit harder to catch these things. So if you find anything, let me know, I'd appreciate it.**

**And criticism is always welcome, constructive or not. Mainly because I hope to be a writer, and every time someone tells me something I'm doing wrong, it helps me become a better writer. Just don't be unnecessarily cruel.**

**Enjoy.**

"Excuse me?" my voice was full of my natural Rose attitude. But now, it was tuned up, one hundred percent.

"This is your father," my mother reiterated.

"I got that part, but _what the hell is he doing here?_" I hissed, voice low.

"Rose—" Janine began, but was cut off by this stranger.

"I am Ibrahim Mazur. Abe. I am your father, Rose," he had a strange accent, that I couldn't place. After a moment, it seemed Turkish, probably because that's what it was. My father was Turkish.

A frown dominated my face. "What right do you have to call yourself my father?" I asked, disgust clear in my tone.

"Rose, stop," my mother glared at me.

"Call me when you get a perspective on this situation," I hissed, and stormed out.

When I got back to my room, I slid to the floor, head in my hands.

My life was finally going right, and then my _father_ had to show up. I thought the word with almost as much icy emotion as I spoke it.

Maybe I was overreacting.

"Roza? You're back early," Dimitri sounded surprised. "Are you okay?"

"Yes. No. I don't know yet," I sighed, leaning my head against the wall. His hand grasped mine.

"What happened?" his fingers were rubbing circles on the back of my hand.

"My _father_ showed up. My mother brought him, and I… I didn't want to see him, so I left. He never showed any interest in me before, so why now? I was a bit angry, and maybe I overreacted, but what right does he have to call himself my father?" I was babbling and I knew it.

"Hey, Dimitri, what is taking so long? We only have so much time before—Rose, what happened?" Lissa walked into the room.

I shook it off. "Nothing. What's going on?"

Lissa's mental walls went up immediately, strong, forbidden.

"What the hell is going on? Someone tell me!" I shouted.

Both Dimitri and Lissa avoided my gaze.

I stood up, scooting away from both Dimitri and Lissa.

"Cousin, Dhampir, hello?" Adrian called, walking into my room.

"What the hell? Doesn't anyone _knock_ anymore?" I demanded. Then it clicked in my head. My birthday was tomorrow. Lissa was planning a surprise party. "I'm going to leave and go straight to hell now."

I turned to leave.

"Rose, wait!" Lissa called.

"Roza?"  
"Little dhampir, where are you going?"

I walked, and then took off, running. Dimitri had been following, but had given up, knowing I needed some time.

Finally, I stopped, breathing hard, legs burning. I sat under a tree, watching the sun rise. Someone sat beside me.

I glanced over. Abe. My father.

"What do you want?" I demanded coolly.

"To talk," he shot back.

"About what? 'Hey, I'm your father. How have you been for the past eighteen years?' Because we've gotten that one out of the way. What else could you possibly want to talk about?"

"Rose, I'm sorry I didn't try to contact you, but your mother and I thought it would be best if I didn't see you. I don't have the kind of life you should be involved in," he said, calmly.

"Bite me."

He let out a hard chuckle. "Bad choice of words."

I shrugged. "I guess."

"I'd like to be in your life, Rose. As your father."

"It's a bit late to try and raise me," I said, with less bite, less sarcasm, less will to fight him. Truth be told, I wanted a father. I wanted him in my life. But I wouldn't let him know that.

"I want to get back with your mother. And I'd like to get back with your mother," he paused. "Yes, I am asking your permission. Think of it as a…"

"Gesture for peace?"

"Exactly."

"If that's what you want, I won't stop you."

"What do _you_ want?"

"I want… a lot. That I can't have."

"Like what?" he asked.

"You can't buy what I want."

"Which is?"

"A happy ending, for one. With Dimitri."

He seemed to catch on to what I didn't speak.

"I can't fix that," he said quietly. "I don't particularly want to talk about that, you being so young, but you are both Dhampirs."  
I sighed. "I know."

"Come on. They're worried about you."

"How do you know?"

"Because when I left they were sending out search parties."

He stood, and offered to help me up. I grabbed his hand, and pulled myself up.

"I'd like to have dinner with you. The day after tomorrow," he said.

I bit my lip. "I'd like that. Just me and you, right?"

"Yes. Maybe Janine."  
"Yeah. It works for me. But, um, tell her no surprise uncles or aunts, or grandparents. Please," I smiled.

"Of course. I'll see you tomorrow."

I nodded, and he walked toward wherever he was staying. I walked into my room, and shut the door, quietly, noting that probably everyone was looking for me.

"Where were you?" Lissa's voice rang out. She had been sitting on my bed.

"Damn," I muttered. "Out," I told her, shrugging.

She dialed a number on her phone.

"She's back," Lissa said, and then hung up.

"Look, _mom_," I said sarcastically. "I'm all grown up, I don't need your permission to go out. Sorry, I'm a little… on edge. I'll just sleep it off."

Lissa hugged me. "It's okay. I have to go, I'll see you tomorrow."

The door opened and Dimitri walked in.

"Really? Learn to knock, please," I joked. I hugged him and Lissa slipped out.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine. I'm fine."

He gave me a quick kiss, and crawled into bed, under the blankets.

Tomorrow, I thought, tomorrow I would be eighteen.

**So, what did you think?**

**I probably won't be updating for a little while, so, I'm sorry.**

**Question: Other than VA, what are some of your favorite series' of books?**

**Mine are:**

**Gone-by Michael Grant**

**Maximum Ride-James Patterson**

**Evermore-Alyson Noel**

**Vampire Diaries-L.J. Smith**

**And others, but I'm tired and sick, so for now, that's all I'm listing.**


	15. Chapter 15

**I am SO sorry for the no update in a long time. No internet, plus school, and all this crazy stuff… so I apologize.**

**I probably won't be updating until December. I'm doing NaNoWriMo, and that'll take a while… but I didn't want to just not update for forever. **

**But, I won't use any more excuses.**

**I'll just let you read.**

**By the way, you guys are the most awesome reviewers ever! Just saying. It makes me so happy to see all the reviews I have. I wish I could update every day.**

**Another thing. I got some messages about lemons… I don't write them… mainly because I'm fourteen and have no sexual experience. Just saying here. I'm not going to fake I know anything about writing lemons. That's too far out of my comfort zone… **_**however**_**. If anyone would like to write one, contact me. I'll put the info up at the beginning of the chapter, and send everyone to read it.**

**Anyone else notice that I say 'just saying' a lot? Just saying. ;).**

**Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams.**

**Here you go.**

When I woke, it didn't hit me right away. I knew today was special, and then it came at me like a ton of bricks.

I was eighteen.

Finally.

I jumped out of bed, barely disappointed that Dimitri wasn't there, and I rushed to the bathroom, taking a quick shower, my mood above ecstatic.

Eighteen.

The number ran in circles in my head. Legal. Today, my relationship with Dimitri could _officially,_ _legally_ start. No complications. No more worrying, no more waiting. This was it. Today was the day it would all change.

I jumped out of the shower, and threw on some sweats. I blew my hair dry, and fixed it up, and then I applied some makeup. Just the basics, some foundation, cover up, and mascara.

When I was finished with hair and makeup, I put on something more appropriate for the day. Black skinny jeans, with a tight red t-shirt that hugged my curves. I bit my lip, and looked at myself in the mirror.

It was my day today.

"Rose!" Lissa walked in, calling my name in a singsong voice. She was smiling widely, her lips glossed lightly. Her blonde hair was pulled back, into a loose ponytail, and she wore a pink t-shirt, with some light colored jeans.

She pulled me into a hug, and I hugged her back, careful not to squeeze too tightly.

"Happy birthday!" she exclaimed, jumping up and down, squealing. I couldn't help but join. I was so happy I could sing. Dance. Skip. Anything. There was nothing better than this feeling of absolute freedom.

"I didn't let Dimitri come… I figured you'd jump him. Everyone wants to see you, so I figured that wouldn't be a good idea.

"Where did he go?" I asked, trying to hide the burning curiosity. Lissa caught it, of course.

"He had some last minute errands to run," she leaned closer to me. "I'm pretty sure he went on a 'condom run.'" She mouthed the last two words, and I laughed.

I waggled my eyebrows. "Gotta make sure he's prepared. We've both got large sexual appetites."

"Okay, can this conversation stop here? This is kinda grossing me out," she grinned, her glossy lips pulling back in a peculiar way, to cover her fangs. "Now _come on_. Everyone wants to see you!"

She pulled me out of my room. I wasn't stupid enough to refuse, so I let her pull me out. Had I wanted to, I could have made it difficult easily.

My mom, Abe, Adrian, Christian, Eddie, Mia, and Dimitri were all standing there, grinning, waiting. Dimitri's face lit up as he saw me, his eyes seemingly full of hunger, lust.

I gave everyone a hug, and they all congratulated me.

I've never been sure why everyone feels like they have to congratulate you on your birthday… I guess it's like 'congrats, you survived another year. Let's hope you're still here next year at this time.' Or so it seemed to me.

I knew that Lissa had a big party planned. For later. Eddie, Adrian, and Christian stuck around, while everyone else excused themselves, probably going to go execute this party. I grinned.

"So, boys. What will we do now?" I asked, hands on my hips, head cocked to the side.

"Well, now that you're legal…" Adrian trailed off suggestively.

"Oh, my _God_, Adrian… I have a _boyfriend._ Or, more accurately, a _man _friend," I grinned. "Someone _you_ could never match up to…"

He winked. "We'll have to test that."

"Adrian, not to put a damper on your plans, but Dimitri would beat the shit out of you, man," Eddie told him, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Well, thank you, Mr. Obvious," Adrian rolled his eyes. "Just telling her that she's got the option, Castile."

"Why would you _want_ her to have the option?" Christian asked sarcastically, a small smile playing at his lips.

"Would you rather I focus on _your_ girl?" Adrian raised an eyebrow.

Christian stood still. "Fine, fine, you can take Rose. I won't argue anymore."

"Good."

"_Hey!_" I exclaimed. "I'm _right_ here! Stop talking about me like I'm a piece of property!"

"Don't worry, little Dhampir, you're no piece of property."

"_Thank you_."

For a good part of the day, we joked around, watched TV, and Eddie and I sparred a bit.

"Rose!" Lissa called out, rushing towards me.

"Yeah?" I called back.

"Let's go. You need to get ready!"

We ended up in my room, and I sat on my bed, while Lissa took a bag from my closet.

"I stashed this here a few hours ago," she explained, throwing the zipped bag at me. "Go shower and change."

I showered quickly, eager to find out what the dress looked like.

I unzipped the bag, and found the most beautiful dress I had ever seen before.

It was red, and strapless. Silky, with beads all over it. It hung loosely, and it was short, but not slutty. It was tight, and clung tightly to my curves, showing everything. It was so tight fitting that I almost couldn't put it on.

I looked at my reflection and grinned.

The dress itself looked kick ass.

I was going to get my makeup and hair done, I was going to have the party of a lifetime, and then, I was going to have sex with the man I loved.

Best. Birthday. Ever.

**Sorry to end here, but I've got school, and I am exhausted. I've been up since six.**

**So, just throwing this out there, I just read Cassandra Clare's new book, "Clockwork Angel." Yeah, I'm a little late to read it, but I thought it was fantastic. Not sure if I like Mortal Instruments better or not.**

**Question for you: What are some things that authors do that annoy you on this site?**

**Personally, it's a ton of misspellings and grammar mistakes. I know I'm not perfect, but honestly, sometimes it's too much. And then when it's all clumped together in one paragraph, with no quotation marks? I can't even try to read it. Lastly, a chapter that's just an author's note… really? Even worse is when there are four of them in a row… I haven't done it yet. I hope I won't have to…**

**As you can tell, I'm a bit picky…**


	16. Chapter 16

**Alright, alright, I am back. I have gotten many a nasty DM about my long time being gone.**

**I appreciate the pushing.**

**Now, for my excuses (yes, plural):**

**I had no internet, other than my blackberry, on which I cannot post chapters.**

**I've been swamped by school**

**I've been trying to write my own novel**

**I've been ridiculously tired, and not in the mood to write.**

**Yep, that's it. Anyone who follows my Twitter will know that lately I've been complaining that I'm tired, and school's too early, and it's cold, too much homework, etc. I'm not usually a whiner…**

**Anyway.**

**Twitter me, KatrynaWilliams.**

**And, to everyone who reads and reviews. I love you. All of you. Thanks for not deserting me.**

**By the way, I would never desert this story, I will wrap it up before I just disappear. I'm planning on letting it run its course… We'll see where it goes.**

**Sorry if any of my details are off… I kinda forgot a lot about this story… I reread the last few chapters, so I may be missing a few things… which is sad because I wrote the plot…**

**I should be updating most of my stories within the next week or so…**

**This chapter felt a little rushed to me… just letting you guys know.**

**Whoa that was a long rant.**

**Anyone who read it all, congrats**

**On with the story.**

When I emerged from the bathroom, Lissa's eyes raked over me.

"You look great, Rose!" she exclaimed. She had changed into her lavender colored dress while I had been in the bathroom, and she was doing her makeup. "Gimme a sec, and I'll do yours next."

Her hair was pulled up into an elegant bun, with a few curled, loose strands, framing her face perfectly. Her lips were glossed, and her eye shadow was a light, pale pink.

After a moment of touching herself up, she made me sit, and pulled out a makeup brush.

"You ready for your party?" she asked me.

I grinned. "Hell yeah. This is me we're talking about! I'm always ready for a party!"

Lissa laughed. "True." She took out some red lipstick, and applied it to my lips. "You know, that dress is going to give every single guy there a heart attack."

"Yeah, I think I figured that one out. I really, _really_ hope that's what happens," I smiled at the thought.

"Have you _looked_ in a mirror?" Lissa asked as she put the lipstick down. She picked up the eye shadow, and picked a color. I didn't pay much attention, because I trusted her choice.

She began to apply the eye shadow, carefully rubbing the brush over my eyelid.

"I have, actually," I smirked. "Just not sure what the reaction's gonna be. Who all is coming to this party?"

Lissa finished applying the eye shadow and I opened my eyes. "Everyone," she said. "Hell, even your mother."

**(Note: I wasn't sure if anyone knew that Abe was Rose's father yet. So, even if I did do the big reveal, I forgot, and I'm doing it again.)**

"Abe too?" I asked.

Lissa blinked in surprise. "Who's… who's Abe?"

"My father," I said, the words slipping out before I could stop them.

Lissa dropped the hairbrush she was holding. "He's your _what?_"

"My father," I repeated calmly. "Didn't I tell you?"

"_No_, you didn't!" she exclaimed. "I just met him yesterday. Your mother told me she was bringing him along to the party. How did that not come up?" she was deep in thought, trying to figure out how no one had told her until right now.

"Does anyone else know?" I asked.

She shook her head. "I don't think so. I asked around, and they all said he was in the mob or something. He seems dangerous. Makes a lot of sense that he's your father," she mused.

"Hey!" I exclaimed. "I'm offended."

"Don't be. It was… sort of a compliment."

"Sort of? I'm flattered," I said sarcastically.

Lissa leaned down and picked up the brush she had dropped, and started to run it through my hair. Once she got the knots out, she started to style it.

"He's really your father?" she asked quietly.

I smiled. "Yeah," I told her. "That's what my mother told me. That day she asked to have dinner with me she introduced him to me. I freaked out, and ran. Then, he and I talked, and he said he wants to be in my life…" I let out a big sigh. "I'm not sure what to do."

"Let him be in your life, Rose," Lissa advised me. "If he wants to get to know you, let him. You'll kick yourself later in life if you let this opportunity pass you by, and you know it just as well as I do."

"I know. I just… it's hard. Out of nowhere, this stranger comes and tells me he's my father. Just… seems a bit difficult for me to grasp. And then he wants me to automatically accept him? It's going to take some time," I told her.

"I'm always here to help. So are Dimitri, and Adrian, and I bet even Christian. You know that, right?"

"Of course, Liss. I know that. It's just hard for me to talk about it, you know? None of you have been in my situation. No one can really… relate. Sure you can figuratively put yourself in my shoes, but you can't _know_ what you'd do until you were actually in this situation," I reasoned. "But, I know you'll try your hardest to get me to keep a level head."

"You're right," she told me, fiddling with my hair. "I'm here to keep you from doing stupid things that you'll regret."

"And I'm here to make you do stupid things you'll regret," I grinned.

"See. We balance each other out," she told me, and picked the hairspray off of the dresser. She sprayed my hair, stepped back, and looked at my appearance. "Looks like you're good to go," she said.

I looked in the mirror, and grinned at my reflection. My hair was in a half up-do, and curls hung around my face, more intricate than Lissa's and completely beautiful.

"It looks great!" I exclaimed excitedly. "Thanks," I gave Lissa a tight hug.

"Come on, we'd better get going," she said, grabbing my arm and leading me out the door.

**There's the update I kept you waiting for… it's mostly Lissa/Rose best friend fluff. Kinda fillery.**

**I should be updating in a week or so, maybe sooner.**

**Thanks for not deserting me!**

**Review please, I need feedback.**

**Question:**

**Who (other than Rose) is your favorite female character?**


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